Purdue’s impressive five wins over Ohio State this century, including the all-time upset in 2018, have one thing in common – they were played in West Lafayette, Ind.
The struggling Boilermakers (1-7, 0-5 Big Ten) won’t have that luxury Saturday in Columbus against the Buckeyes, who are ranked No. 2 in the season-opening College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday.
In the CFP poll for the first time in 2014, Ohio State was ranked 16th due to a home loss to Virginia Tech. Two months later, the Buckeyes defeated Oregon in the national title game.
The Buckeyes (7-1, 4-1) have the same destination in mind this season after Saturday’s 20-13 win over No. 6 Penn State, sending them to the Big Ten title game and a possible rematch with No. A clear path has been found. .1 Oregon, which defeated the visiting Buckeyes 32–31 on October 12.
Ohio State needs to win its final four regular season games and can’t afford losses against the Boilermakers before playing at Northwestern (at Wrigley Field), and No. 8 Indiana and rival Michigan, both in Columbus.
“Our focus is just on Purdue,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Tuesday. “It doesn’t matter what happened before the game, it’s game over. Whatever the ranking, we’ve always said what matters is what happens at the end of the year.”
Purdue coach Ryan Walters knows his team is at a disadvantage in Ohio Stadium, where the Boilermakers have not won since 1988. But he’ll try to draw inspiration from six years ago, when the unranked Boilermakers defeated the second-ranked Buckeyes 49-20. , albeit in home games.
“It’s going to be a huge challenge,” Walters said Monday. “I’m looking forward to playing at a historic place like Ohio State and looking forward to competing against the best. That’s why you play in this conference. That’s why you come to a school like Purdue, to be able to compete.” To be able to compete and perform at our best against some of the better teams in the country.”
However, in the two most recent matchups in 2023 and 2021, they fell 100-38, and there is reason to believe another loss is on the way.
The Boilermakers have been outscored 295–113 by FBS opponents following a season-opening 49–0 win over FCS’s Indiana State.
Add in the fact that Ohio State has future NFL picks throughout its lineup and it could be a long day.
“You look at their team as a whole; a very, very talented roster,” Walters said. “You combine the talented roster with the level of coaching at Ohio State, I have a lot of respect for a lot of the guys on the staff there. That’s why you get a team like Ohio State.”
Leading the way at quarterback for the Buckeyes is Will Howard, who has thrown for 1,977 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, Emeka Egbuka has caught 46 passes for 577 yards and seven touchdowns and Jeremiah Smith has caught 39 passes for 678 yards and eight scores. Have made.
The Buckeyes will look to improve on their performance at Penn State, where they denied the Nittany Lions a potential game-tying touchdown late despite having a first-and-goal from 3.
The Buckeyes then started from their own 1 with 5:13 left and rushed 11 consecutive times for 58 yards and four first downs, including a kneeling pass, to end the game.
But Day has talked about that.
“I think Purdue’s offense is going well,” Day said. “If our guys think they’re just going to go out there and play this Saturday, they’re wrong. (The Boilermakers) are a much better team than their record shows.
“If anyone in this building is thinking about the past week that they’re distracted, it can’t be.”
–Field Level Media
